AT&T Park curse hits Ramirez again

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SAN FRANCISCO The next time the Dodgers come to San Francisco, Hanley Ramirez might refuse to board the plane.

Pablo Sandoval slapped an RBI single through the middle to break a tie in the seventh inning Wednesday night as the San Francisco Giants hung another taut loss on the Dodgers, 2-1.

But a second consecutive one-run loss was less important than the potential loss caused by a full-count fastball from Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong in the seventh inning. The 90-mph pitch hit Ramirez in the back of the left hand.

Ramirez spun away in pain and anger, slammed his helmet to the ground and stalked around home plate. Ramirez, who had played every inning this season, left the game with a good portion of the Dodgers' season hanging in the balance.

“Good news that it's not broke,” Ramirez said. “Everybody knows what I went through last year – to get hit in the hand, the hand is a place where it's easy to get damage.

“I know this team needs me. I'll be here early tomorrow, get treatment and try to grip a bat. If it feels good, I'll be in there.”

It was at AT& T Park last year that Ramirez suffered a torn ligament in his thumb while playing in the World Baseball Classic. He missed 24 games – then four games later injured his hamstring playing the Giants at AT& T Park.

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